CM asks Centre to share 50pc of K-IV’s increased cost

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah met Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda on Friday and discussed with him water and outstanding issues between the provincial and the federal governments.

He said the cost of the K-IV project bulk water supply project for Karachi had increased manifold to about Rs75 billion. “Our teams are working on estimates and accurate estimates would be worked out soon to pass them on to the relevant forums,” he said and added the federal government was committed to bearing 50 per cent of the cost of the project when it was estimated at Rs25 billion.

Shah added that additional water was also required for the K-IV project, and as the federal water minister Vawda must support the provincial government. “Karachi is mini-Pakistan and people from all the provinces live here; therefore, the other provinces must give some water to the city.” Later, the provincial minister for local government, Saeed Ghani, and Vawda briefed the media about the understanding they developed in their meeting with the chief minister.

CM meets lawyers

Chief Minister Shah met office-bearers of the Sindh High Court, Karachi and Malir bar associations and assured them of resolving their issues.

“We cannot forget your sacrifices for the restoration of democracy,” he said and added, “The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was a leading lawyer, PPP founder chairman Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a lawyer and my father Syed Abdullah Shah was also a lawyer; therefore, I have special association with the lawyers community,” he said.

The high court and Malir bar associations invited the chief minister to visit them, which he accepted. The meeting was also attended by CM adviser Barrister Murtaza Wahab and Special Assistant to CM Rashid Rabbani.